How to Share on TikTok

Sharing a video on TikTok is the engine behind its virality, turning a single post into a global trend in a matter of hours. But sharing isn't just about sending a funny clip to a friend, it's a collection of powerful tools for collaboration, content creation, and growing your audience. This guide breaks down every method for sharing on TikTok, from basic sends to advanced features like Stitch and Duet, so you can leverage the platform's full potential.

Mastering the Share Button: Your Go-To Options

Every share action on TikTok starts with the same iconic symbol: the white arrow, usually on the right side of the screen. Tapping this button opens up a menu of possibilities. Understanding this menu is the first step to becoming a power user.

The Universal Share Menu Explained

When you tap the share arrow, you’ll typically see three rows of options. Here’s what they mean:

• Top Row (Send to Friends): This row shows your "mutuals" or people you frequently interact with on TikTok. Tapping a profile picture here sends the video directly to them as a private message (DM) within the app. It’s the quickest way to share a video with one or more individuals without leaving TikTok.
• Middle Row (Share to Other Apps): This is your gateway to the world outside TikTok. Here you'll find icons for Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), SMS, email, and more. Tapping one of these will package the video and prepare it for sharing on that specific platform.
• Bottom Row (Actions &, Features): This is where things get interesting. This row isn’t just about sending the video somewhere else, it’s about doing something with it. Common options include:
  • Save video: Downloads the video (with a watermark) to your device's photo gallery.
  • Repost: Shares the video on the For You Page of your followers.
  • Stitch &, Duet: Two core features for collaborating with other videos (we’ll cover these in detail).
  • Add to Favorites: Bookmarks the video so you can easily find it later in your profile’s Favorites tab.
  • Report: Allows you to flag content that violates TikTok's community guidelines.
  • Use this effect: If the video uses a special filter or effect, this button lets you immediately open your camera to create a video using the same one.

Sharing Videos From Other Creators (And Why It Matters)

TikTok is built on community and creative collaboration. Sharing other people's videos isn't just nice - it’s how trends are born and how creators connect with one another. There are three main ways to do this, each with a different purpose.

1. Reposting: TikTok's Answer to the Retweet

The "Repost" button might be the most misunderstood feature on TikTok. It’s a low-effort way to endorse a video and show it to your audience without it appearing on your main profile grid.

How it works:

1. Find a video on your For You Page that you want to share.
2. Tap the Share arrow.
3. Tap the yellow Repost button. The video will now be shared with your followers and may appear on their For You Pages with a note that you’ve reposted it. You can also add a short comment that will appear alongside the repost notification.

Why you should use it: Reposting is great for showing your followers the kind of content you enjoy, supporting other creators, and participating in trends without having to create an entirely new video. Think of it as a signal to both your followers and the algorithm about your interests.

2. Stitching: Adding Your Take to a Video

Stitching allows you to insert a clip from someone else’s video at the beginning of your own. It's essentially a way to "quote" another video before adding your commentary, punchline, or response.

How to Stitch a video:

1. Tap the Share arrow on the video you want to Stitch.
2. Select Stitch from the bottom menu of actions.
3. You'll be taken to an editor where you can trim the original video down to a 5-second clip. Select the part you want to feature.
4. Once you’ve chosen your clip, you can record your own video that will play immediately after it.
5. Add your caption, hashtags, and post it. TikTok will automatically credit the original creator in your caption.

Common examples of great Stitches:

• Answering a question from another creator's video.
• Fact-checking or adding context to a claim.
• Showing a hilarious reaction to the original clip.
• Continuing a story someone else started.

3. Dueting: Creating Split-Screen Content

A Duet plays your video alongside the original in a split-screen format. It happens in real-time as you record, making it perfect for reactions, collaborations, and side-by-side comparisons.

How to Duet a video:

1. Tap the Share arrow.
2. Select Duet from the options.
3. This opens a split-screen camera interface. The original video will play on one side while you record your own video on the other.
4. Record your response, reaction, or accompaniment.
5. Edit and post as usual. The original creator will be credited in the caption.

Why It's So Popular: Duets are the foundation of countless TikTok trends, including dance challenges (where you mimic the creator's moves), singing challenges (where you add a harmony), and blind reactions (where you capture your genuine first impression of a video).

How to Share Your Own Videos Beyond the For You Page

Getting your content in front of an even larger audience often means strategically sharing it off-platform. Smart creators use their TikToks as content for other channels, driving traffic back to their profile simultaneously.

Sharing Directly to Other Social Platforms

From the Share menu, you can send your TikTok directly to other apps. Each platform has its own nuances for what works best.

• Instagram: Sharing to Instagram Stories is seamless and posts the video with a direct link back to your TikTok. You can also post it as a Reel. Many creators prefer to save their video first and then upload it as a Reel to take advantage of Instagram's own music and editing features.
• Facebook: You can share your videos to your Facebook feed or Stories. This can be effective if you have an established audience on Facebook that doesn't overlap completely with your TikTok followers.
• X / Threads: Sharing to X or Threads typically posts a link to the TikTok video with a preview card. This is less about native video viewership and more about driving clicks back to your TikTok profile.
• Messaging Apps: Don't underestimate the power of sending a video directly to friends, family, or in a community group chat. Word-of-mouth is a powerful driver of views.

Using Your Profile Link and QR Code

Want to direct people to your entire profile, not just a single video? You have two excellent tools for that.

1. Your Profile Link: From your profile page, tap "Edit profile" and you’ll see your unique TikTok URL (e.g., tiktok.com/@yourusername). You can copy this link and paste it into your email signature, your Instagram bio, or anywhere else you want to promote your presence.
2. Your Profile QR Code: On your profile, tap the three-line menu in the top right, then select "QR code." This generates a unique, scannable code. You can save this image and use it creatively in real-world situations: on business cards, presentation slides, or even printed on flyers at an event. It creates a simple and instant bridge from offline to online.

Advanced Sharing Strategies and Settings

Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start thinking strategically about sharing and controlling how others share your work.

Adjusting Your Privacy Settings

You have full control over whether other people can Stitch, Duet, or download your videos. You can set these permissions on a per-video basis when you post, or you can set account-wide defaults.

To set your default preferences:

1. Go to your profile and tap the three-line menu.
2. Select Settings and Privacy.
3. Tap on Privacy.
4. Scroll down to find options for Stitch, Duet, and Video downloads. You can allow them for everyone, only followers, or no one at all.

Consider the trade-off here. Disabling sharing features protects your content from being used in ways you don't like, but it also limits its potential to be part of a larger trend, which can be a huge driver of discoverability.

The Strategic Share: Driving Growth Beyond Tapping a Button

Sharing isn't just a technical function, it’s a strategy. Intentionally using these tools can build your brand and expand your reach.

• Engage with Bigger Accounts: Use Stitch and Duet to interact with videos from larger creators in your niche. Your response adds value and puts your content in front of a new, relevant audience that might check out your profile.
• Answer Audience Questions: If a follower asks a great question in your comments, instead of just replying with text, use the "Reply with video" feature (found when you tap a comment). This creates new content and makes your community feel seen and heard.
• Cross-Promote with a Purpose: When sharing to Instagram Stories, don't just dump the video there. Add interactive elements like a poll or question sticker asking what viewers thought of the video. Drive engagement on every platform you use.

Final Thoughts

Sharing lies at the heart of the entire TikTok experience. From a simple DM to a creative Duet, each sharing action fuels content discovery and builds connections between creators and their communities. Understanding how and when to use these tools is fundamental to growing on the platform and becoming a part of its ever-evolving culture.

Of course, having great content to share in the first place is the most important piece of the puzzle. A strong content strategy requires consistency and planning, which can be overwhelming. As we were building Postbase, we focused on solving this exact problem. Our visual calendar lets you see your entire TikTok schedule at a glance, and since our platform was designed for short-form video from day one, publishing is rock-solid and reliable. By handing the scheduling chaos to us, you can get back to creating amazing videos that people can't wait to share.